Jeff Jackson Named Head Softball Coach at SFA
Jeff Jackson was named the new head softball coach at Stephen F. Austin State University on Tuesday, June 6.
Jackson leaves Odessa after six years as the head coach of the Wrangler softball program. In his short time at OC, Jackson amassed a record of 230 wins and only 65 losses. He took the Wrangler to three straight NJCAA D1 Softball World Series from 2021 to most recently in 2023. After an 11th-place finish in 2021, Jackson guided the Wranglers to back-to-back third-place finished at the World Series.
In his six years as head coach, seven Wranglers were named NJCAA All-Americans, over 50 were named to the WJCAC All-Conference Team and over 30 were named NJCAA All-Region 5. Nearly 40 former Wranglers have gone on to play at the four-year level after leaving Odessa College.
In 2023, Jackson guided the Wranglers to a perfect 20-0 WJCAC regular season championship, including an impressive 32-game winning streak. During that time, Odessa would climb all the way to No. 1 in the NJCAA D1 Softball rankings - the first No. 1 ranking in program history.
Success would not only be seen on the diamond, but in the classroom as well as the Wranglers maintained over a 3.4 GPA in all six years under Jackson. The 2022 team was named NJCAA Softball Academic Team of the Year with a 3.80 GPA. The highest GPA by a softball team over all three NJCAA divisions.
"Coach Jackson achieved tremendous success both on the diamond and in the classroom in his six years in Odessa" said Athletic Director Wayne Baker. "He elevated the program to new heights each and every year and will leave Odessa College in a better place than when he arrived. I am very appreciative of Coach Jackson's commitment to the success of OC student-athletes, his support of the athletic programs and his total buy into everything Odessa College. We wish Jeff, Jessica, Parker and Connor the best of luck at SFA."
Stephen F. Austin State University Athletics Director Ryan Ivey announced the hiring of Jackson as the new head softball coach. "I am extremely excited to welcome Jeff, Jessica, Parker and Connor to SFA and Nacogdoches. When we began this process, we set out looking for someone that would continue the momentum of our softball program. We wanted someone that understood and would embrace our AXEEM core values, and would focus on providing leadership and stability to our softball program, and most importantly, our student-athletes. I am confident that we found all of that in Jeff Jackson," said Ivey. "Jeff's background is full of success on the diamond, in the classroom and in the community. He has built and elevated programs to consistent, national success, and I am confident he will do the same at SFA. The future is bright for SFA softball."
A national search for the next Odessa College head softball coach will commence.